Letter from Florence to Lady Clonbrock, 28 November 1916.

Foo, Bar; Bar, Foo

Letter from Florence to Lady Clonbrock, 28 November 1916.

1 Lansdowne House,
Berkeley Square,
w. Nov. 28th 1916 My dearest Tweety I've never had a moment
to write till now. We are so amused
at Sybils story having reached Ireland.
It is true she heard ofthe letter but never
actually saw it! Since then we have heard
of several other prisoners of war on the
Hampshire - but not one mentions Ld. K.
PersonallyI always say he's alive!! but
that is all I can tell you, it created a great
excitement at the time, and the King was
told abt. it — but the actual letter was never
forthcoming! I'll let you know if I ever hear
of anything exciting. Meanwhile we are full
of excitement at this moment. We all heard
5 distinct crashes at 11-30 this morn &
we went out to luncheon we hear 5 bombs
were dropped in Belgravia at that time in Goodbye for now. I love getting a letter Fancy dear At. Georgey & Granny if they had lived in these days!!! ?Yours affec Florence ?Cockran? 2 broad day light & brilliant sunshine - 44
Belgrave Sq. was hit, 13 Lowndes Square the
bomb went right thru the house to the kitchen
Several people were taken into St Georges Hospital
& one bomb demolished a bakers shop near
Harrods and also part of Victoria Station!!
So the whole of London is wildly excited but no
panic - "Isn't it amusing"? is what most people
say!!! I can't say I think it is at all amusing ? We have just taken 44 Pont St for the
winter and have come up today.! the
girls are thrilled as they always longed
to be "in a raid"!! I think everything is
too dreadful just now, but mercifully one
never has a moment to think ! We are so busy here - & get more & more so every
moment! — Cecy lunched with Bea today
& had heard all those bombs all round
her! Maud & I heard them and
said oh! its only practising in St. James' Park.
Well I must get back to work - My "General"
was all thru that Beaumont Hamel. Push
& appears to have thoroughly enjoyed it!
He said the 10 days passed like lightening"!!!
& they were just going back & rest this week — Goodbye for now. I love getting a letter. I for Lacey dear
at Grocery & Grocery
if they had
hired me here
dogs!!! With ever affec. Florence Jordan

This letter was sent to Lady Clonbrock, Augusta Caroline Dillon (née Crofton), 'Tweety', (1839-1928), wife of Luke Gerald Dillon, 4th Baron Clonbrock, (1834-1917). Lady Clonbrock was one of a number of mainly well-to-do ladies who were members of the Irish Women's Association formed to provide food and comforts for prisoners of War (WW1) belonging to Irish Regiments. HMS Hampshire, on a mission to Russia, was sunk on 1 May 1916 west of the Orkneys. It was thought that there was little hope of survivors, and among those believed to be lost was Horatio Herbert Kitchener (1850-1916), referred to in this letter as Ld. K. The writer refers to the Hampshire incident and to a letter related to is which has been circulated. The writer goes on to describe bomb attacks on London in terms of the excitement it caused and the damage it did. Finally she refers to her 'General' as having been through the 'Beaumont Hamel Push' (Battle of the Somme, 1 July, 1916) and 'thoroughly enjoyed it!'

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How to cite

Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__5900.html)